JERUSALEM - The chief of Turkey's armed forces, Gen Ismail Hakki Karadayi, is on a three-day visit to Israel in a further sign of strengthening military co operation between the two countries.
"I believe that my visit will contribute towards further development of the expanding relations between our two armies," Gen Karadayi told Israel's Haaretz newspaper.
Gen Karadayi plans to meet the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, the Defence Minister, Mr Yitzhak Mordechai, and the Israeli army chief, Gen Amnon Shahak, as well as tour military bases. His visit began with a tour of the Holocaust memorial at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.
Muslim but secular Turkey has signed with Israel two military accords, which involve allowing Israeli jets on training flights in Turkish airspace and upgrading of the Turkish air force fleet of F-4 Phantom jets by Israel. The accords were condemned by Iran and many in the Arab world.